VIDEO: The City of Savannah approved their $650 million 2026 operating budget and residents will see immediate changes, city officials told WSAV Monday.
City leaders said they built the FY-26 budget with their GPS strategic 10-to-15-year plan at the forefront of their minds. The plan was made with input from the city’s “Speak Out Savannah” survey.
“It’s okay sometimes to press pause and make sure that we’ve had all the conversations that we need to have with some folks that are impacted,” said Savannah City Manager Jay Melder.
The 2026 budget provides resources for Savannah Fire to hire over 30 new personnel to staff a new hub in New Hampstead. The new team will consist of six fire engineers, six fire captains and 18 firefighters.
“So, while we hope that they don’t experience a fire, they can rest easy knowing that the greatest fire department in the nation is going to be able to be there within minutes,” said Melder.
